The Coalition has reneged on another election promise after admitting that an electoral commission will not be established within the lifetime of this Government.

The Government has been accused of watering-down green commitments in new climate change legislation.

The death of a homeless man outside Leinster House has prompted calls for emergency measures to address the crisis of people sleeping on the streets.

The installation of water meters across the country will only result in a 6% saving in the amount of water an average family uses, the Commission for Energy Regulation has confirmed.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny faced more protests from anti-water charge campaigners last night ahead of further talks among ministers this week on ways to reduce and ease bills for households.

The energy regulator has told Government TDs that it will cost €64m to extend flat-rate water charges for all households in the country for an extra two years.

Households look likely to get a brief reprieve in paying their first water charge bills as figures show that less than half of homes have so far signed up with Irish Water.

Irish Water will be forced to reduce the exorbitant call-out fees it wants to charge householders with service and supply problems after the energy regulator expressed concern about how high they had been set.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has further fuelled the political storm over water charges after describing them as "modest" amid mounting anger with Irish Water and pay bonuses for its staff.

House sales are up 48% nationally, according to figures presented to the Oireachtas by IBEC-related lobby group, Property Industry Ireland.

The energy regulator is under pressure to explain what evidence it used to justify a reduction in the free water allowance for children when charges come in next year, after claims the decision was based on "biased" or "flawed" research.

Children will be allowed just one free shower and one toilet flush a day under revised water allowances ahead of the introduction of charges next year.

A range of domestic water charges for homeowners coming into effect in a little over eight weeks’ time will be announced tomorrow by the energy regulator.

The Waterford TD Ciara Conway is set to join three other Munster-based candidates to contest the deputy leadership of the Labour Party, but will not take a ministerial position if elected.

Government proposals to reduce Ireland’s carbon emissions have been widely criticised for lacking targets, a clear vision and for potentially being too costly for businesses and households.

A United Nations (UN) report on climate change warned last week that storm surges, flooding and rising sea levels will wreak increasing havoc on our lives unless Governments take urgent action to reduce carbon emissions.

Fresh questions are set to be raised about the financial reasoning behind Eirgrid’s proposed powerline routes, with a warning that the case for exporting wind power to Britain is “non-existent”.

Home-owners will not know how much they will be charged for water until August, according to the body which will set the fees, despite reassurances from the Taoiseach that the rates would be revealed before the May elections.

Three families were “victims of abysmal building practices” and of massive systemic breaches of building regulations, a High Court judge said yesterday.

Embattled Environment Minster Phil Hogan’s department splashed out €5.7m more than budgeted for on its share of setting up Irish Water, figures reveal.

We’ve been here before, haven’t we? We have done the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. We have phoned Liveline in our masses, watched politicians kick the problems around like footballs and read all the newspaper column inches dedicated to our rage.

Embattled Environment Minister Phil Hogan has been accused of misleading the Dáil over the massive €180m start-up costs for Irish Water.

JUST days into the new political year, Phil Hogan is back in the public spotlight once again. The environment minister might be scratching his head wondering “here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into”. But there’s no Stan Laurel for this Oliver Hardy of Irish politics to turn to and blame.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan will be called before an Oireachtas committee to explain when he found out about the awarding of consultancy contracts amounting to €85m by Irish Water.

Irish Water has said all its contracts are fully compliant with public procurement rules.

The Chair of the Oireachtas Environment Committee has said he wants clear answers from Irish Water as to the spending of large sums of taxpayers' money in the set-up of the company.

Government departments have paid close to €10m to outside consultants to carry out more than 200 reports on policy issues since the Coalition came into office in Mar 2011.

Next week's meeting with members of Irish Water to answer questions about their €50m spend on consultants is about achieving accountability, the chairman of the Oireachtas Environment Committee has said.

Representatives from Irish Water are to appear before TDs next week to take questions about its spending on consultants.

Local Government Minister Phil Hogan will next week be urged to review a proposed cut to the number of county councillors representing West Cork.

HOW will the brave new world look? If the opinion polls are correct, the Seanad will be voted out of existence on Friday.

Householders will have to pay the cost of replacing any leaking pipes located between water meters and their properties, Irish Water has said.

TDs will today meet with the Chief Executive of the Irish Insurance Federation, Michael Kemp, in an effort to find out why many insurance companies have stopped offering full home or business insurance cover.

The HSE said it is liaising with the “relevant authorities” amid concerns for a young family who may have been living in squalor for months.

The Department of the Environment said it is powerless to legally enforce home insurance companies to pay compensation to households structurally damaged by pyrite contamination.

The head of the panel that looked at the problem of pyrite in homes around the country has said there is not scope for the Government to take 'Homebond' to court.

Septic tank owners will not face “onerous financial responsibilities” under a new waste water inspection regime being introduced, Environment Minister Phil Hogan has pledged.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan has caved in to demands to allow people pay the €100 household tax at post offices.

Homeowners whose houses have been affected by pyrite will today outline their concerns to the Oireachtas environment committee.

A report on the response to the flooding and snow last winter has found problems with communication, co-ordination and management.

A report on the severe weather conditions of last winter will strongly criticise the emergency response by the Government.

VICTIMS of the November floods have described a cross-party investigation’s inability to come to any firm conclusions on what caused the crisis as “a typical political response” to the major problem.

Pressure is mounting on Environment Minister John Gormley to order an independent inquiry into the extensive flooding in Cork city last November.

SOCIAL Protection Minister Éamon Ó Cuív has agreed to review all applications for emergency funding from flood victims who believe they have been short-changed by the Government scheme.